Europe's Rosetta probe has been at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko for two weeks, taking close-up pictures and making measurements of the comet's strange landscape. According to ESA, researchers now have the data they need to start picking a landing site. This weekend, mission planners will meet to consider 10 candidate locations, with the goal of narrowing the list to 5 by Monday.

Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, just 3km wide. This graphic was produced to show the comet’s size, compared to the size of Los Angeles. Churyumov-Gerasimenko doesn’t cross Earth’s orbit and there is no chance of a near-Earth collision.

Our sense of scale tends to adjust to circumstances. So when we think about comets it is easy to compare them with other astronomical objects. In which case comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, just 3km wide, sounds tiny. However, as you can see in the image above, things look rather different when you compare the comet to something we are really familiar with – such as tall buildings. While Churyumov-Gerasimenko is small enough that one could walk from one end to the other fairly in less than an hour, it’s easy to forget the three dimensional nature of something like this – 3km across is no big deal, but 2km helps make sense of what happened to the dinosaurs. The image is by @quark1972, who combined a photograph of Los Angeles with an image from the Rosetta spacecraft rendezvousing with Churyumov-Gerasimenko, prior to going into orbit and eventually landing.While Rosetta will be doing its best to touch down very gently on the comet’s surface, we can’t count on Churyumov-Gerasimenko doing the same if it ever paid LA a visit. You can get some idea of what would happen in such a collision here, although the scale of the damage depends greatly on the impact speed you choose to enter. Since Churyumov-Gerasimenko never crosses the Earth’s orbit there is no danger of a collision, at least until a close encounter with some other planet shifts its orbit. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for other, even larger, asteroids and comets. -IFLScienceThanks to: http://spaceweather.com/ and http://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/2014/08/22/graphic-shows-the-immense-size-of-rosettas-comet-and-risks-such-large-objects-pose-to-earth/

Russian scientists say they made a "unique" discovery while analyzing samples from the exterior of the International Space Station - traces of tiny sea creatures on the station's windows and walls. It remains unclear how marine plankton ended up in space. The results of the recent experiments prove that that some organisms are capable of living on the outer surface of the International Space Station (ISS), Vladimir Solovyev, head of the Russian segment of the ISS, has revealed. Some studies suggest that these organisms may even develop in the hostile conditions of spaceflight, which include vacuum, low temperatures, radiation and others, he added.

Solovyev was quoted as saying by Itar-Tass: "The results of the so-called 'Test' experiment are unique. On the surface of the [ISS] windows we found traces of marine plankton - the microparticles - that will become the subject of further studies." While the experiments on the matter were finalized last year, it is still unclear how the microparticles could get all the way to the ISS, Solovyev said.

"[Plankton in] such phases of development is found on the surface of the ocean. It isn't characteristic to Baikonur," he explained, referring to Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan from where crew and cargo deliveries to ISS are launched. "It turns out that there are some rising air currents, which settle on the surface of the station" Solovyev added. The former cosmonaut, who spent nearly a year in orbit back in the 1980s, said that outer surface of ISS is "heavily contaminated" by the waste products from engines of the arriving spacecraft, atmospheric discharges from the station during spacewalks by the crew and other factors. We are currently conducting special operations to be able to somehow to polish and clean up the windows [at the ISS]. This is especially important during long space flights," Solovyev concluded. http://www.sott.net/article/284145-Traces-of-marine-plankton-discovered-attached-to-ISS-outer-hull

For the past month, the sun has been mostly quiet with only a smattering of C- and B-class solar flares. As flares go, these are puny. In fact, when the sun is crackling with flares no stronger than B-class, we often say that "solar activity is very low." But is it, really? A B-class solar flare packs a bigger punch than is generally supposed. Consider this specimen photgraphed by Harald Paleske of Weißenfels/ OT Langendorf, Germany, on August 17th:

"This was a B8-class flare in sunspot AR2144," says Paleske. "Despite poor seeing, I was able to capture a high-resolution view of the explosion using my 225mm Unigraph solartelescope." The violence frozen in these snapshots belies the idea that this was a weak explosion. And indeed it was not. A typical B-class solar flare releases as much energy as 100 million WWII atomic bombs. Only on the sun, which is itself a 1027 ton self-contained nuclear explosion, would such a blast be considered puny. So the next time you hear that the forecast calls for "low solar activity," remember ... everything is relative. Today's forecast, by the way, calls for low solar activity with only a 10% chance of M-class solar flares.www.spaceweather.com

Set your alarm for dawn! Venus and Jupiter are converging for a spectacular conjunction in the early morning sky. At closest approach on the morning of August 18th, the two brightest planets in the solar system will be only 0.2o apart. This is what they looked like one day early, August 17th, from the Canadian side of Lake Ontario:

"It was a beautiful conjunction in the pre-dawn sky," says photographer Gary Colwell. "And it will get even better on Monday morning." To see the show, find a place with a good view of the north-northeastern horizon. No telescope is required. Jupiter and Venus are bright enough to see with the naked eye even from light polluted cities. In fact, as Colwell's photo shows, you can see them even after the sun begins to brighten the dawn. A tight conjunction of Venus and Jupiter framed by twilight blue is a great way to start the day. For more information, see this video from NASA. www.spaceweather.com

Venus and Jupiter are converging for a stunning conjunction in the pre-dawn sky. At closest approach on August 18th, the two planets will be just 0.2 degrees apart, tight enough to hide behind the tip of your outstretched pinky. Flying astrophotographer, pilot Brian Whittaker, photographed the converging pair 35,000 feet over Northern Ontario, Canada, on August 12th:"I spotted Jupiter with Venus just 6 days before the super conjunction," says Whittaker. "It was a beautiful view--and it's only going to get better."Observing tips: Look east about 30 minutes before sunrise. A clear view of the horizon is required to see the low-hanging pair. Each morning between now and the 18th the distance between the two will decrease as they converge for their dramatic meeting next Monday. No special optics are required to see the amazingly bright pair, but if you have binoculars, use them. A quick scan of the sky around Venus and Jupiter on August 18th reveals that the two worlds are not alone. The planets are converging right beside M44, the Beehive Cluster. Located about 500 light years from Earth, this busy cluster of stars is barely visible to the naked eye, but it is an easy target for ordinary binoculars. At first glance it might seem that a pair of supernovas has gone off inside the cluster—but that's just Venus and Jupiter passing by. www.spaceweather.com

Three massive volcanic eruptions led astronomers to speculate that these presumed rare outbursts were much more common than previously thought. Now, an image from the Gemini Observatory captures what is one of the brightest volcanoes ever seen in our Solar System.

"We typically expect one huge outburst every one or two years, and they're usually not this bright," said lead author Imke de Pater from the University of California, Berkeley, in a press release. In fact, only 13 large eruptions were observed between 1978 and 2006. "Here we had three extremely bright outbursts, which suggest that if we looked more frequently we might see many more of them on Io."

De Pater discovered the first two eruptions on August 15, 2013, from the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii. The brightest was calculated to have produced a 50 square-mile, 30-feet thick lava flow, while the other produced flows covering 120 square miles. Both were nearly gone when imaged days later.

As hurricanes take aim at Hawaii, astronomers in Hawaii aimed their telescopes at storms raging on another planet: distant Uranus, the tilted ice giant orbiting the sun nearly 20 times farther away than Earth.

Wrapped in an atmosphere tinted pale blue by high-altitude methane, Uranus has occasionally been observed to develop large storms in its frigid windy skies. NASA's Voyager 2 saw a few small storm clouds spotting Uranus during its flyby in Jan. 1986, and more recently some large but short-lived storms were observed by Hubble and the W.M. Keck Observatory as the planet moved toward its equinox in 2007. Now, seven years after its equinox, swirling storms are once again blooming on Uranus - and Keck astronomers have caught them on camera.

It's not just one storm, either; several have appeared in infrared images of Uranus, including one enormous storm that's even bigger than a previously-observed giant that was nicknamed "Berg" because of its resemblance to an iceberg drifting through polar seas. Berg had been watched by astronomers since before Uranus' 2007 equinox and it may have even dated back to the Voyager 2 visit. After migrating around the planet and changing in size and strength several times, Berg dissipated in 2009.

The biggest of the new storms is even larger than Berg, likely extending high into the planet's troposphere, and could become a similarly long-lived feature on Uranus. "Even after years of observing, a new picture of Uranus from Keck Observatory can stop me in my tracks and make me say Wow!," said Heidi Hammel, a member of the observing team. So even though it doesn't get mentioned all that often, Uranus can still hold a few surprises! (And please re-read the first sentence.)

The Perseid meteor shower is underway as Earth moves into the debris stream of parent comet Swift-Tuttle. According to the International Meteor Organization, the constellation Perseus is now spitting out meteors at a rate of about 20 per hour. In a normal year, those rates would increase 4- or 5-fold as the shower reaches its peak on August 12-13. But this is no normal year. In 2014, the glare of a supermoon will interfere with Perseid visibility, capping visible meteor rates at no more than ~30 per hour. Now for the good news: The Perseids are rich in fireballs, and many of those extra-bright meteors can be seen in spite of the lunar glare. NASA cameras recorded one such fireball last night over Tennessee: (video on: www.spaceweather.com)

Tthe meteor cut through the moonlight wih ease. In the past week, NASA's network of all-sky cameras has recorded nearly 100 Perseid fireballs over the USA, and more are in the offing. So, note to sky watchers: Don't be put off by the supermoon. A trip to the moonlit countryside on August 12-13 will be rewarded by a display of Perseids, albeit fewer than usual. A good time to look on those nights might be during the hours after sunset when the Moon is still hanging low in the sky and the constellation Perseus is rising in the northeast. Such an arrangement can produce a special type of meteor called an earthgrazer. Earthgrazers emerge from the horizon and skim the top of the atmosphere above the observer, a bit like a stone skipping across the surface of a pond. An hour's watching might net no more than one or two of this special kind of meteor, but that's plenty. Earthgrazers are colorful and gracefully slow, a rare beauty that makes any meteor-watch worthwhile. Got clouds? You can listen to the Perseids live on Space Weather Radio. www.spaceweather.com

As you begin to live in the present moment, you will experience a subtle but profound change. Worrying about the future will cease. A deep peace will enfold you, a peace that says:"All is well. There is nothing to fear. Everything is unfolding according to plan, and you are being guided each step along the way."- Douglas Bloch

COMET RENDEZVOUS--TODAY! The European Space Agency's Rosetta probe has reached comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and is maneuvering to go into orbit around the comet's core. This is an historic event. After Rosetta goes into orbit, it will follow the comet around the sun, observing its activity from point-blank range for more than a year. Moreover, in November, Rosetta will drop a lander onto the comet's strange surface. Today's events are being streamed live by the ESA.

A video from ESA shows that Rosetta was programmed to match velocities with the comet's core and maneuver to within 30 km of the comet's surface, where the weak gravity of 67P could capture the spacecraft. Going into orbit around a comet is a historic moment in the history of space exploration. Good luck to the Rosetta team as they attempt this unprecedented feat.www.spaceweather.com

Residents were left shocked after discovering a SQUARE shaped cloud floating over their homes this weekend. Homeowners in Exeter, Devon wasted no time snapping photographs for Facebook and excitedly posting on Twitter about the flying carpet shaped cloud hanging over the city. The sharp-edged cloud formation was first spotted on Saturday afternoon and gained mainstream attention when it was tweeted by Laura Gilchrist, an employee at the Met Office. She posted: "So this evening, over Exeter, there was a rhombus-shaped cloud".

But those looking for a sensational or supernatural explanation for the water vapour suspended in the shape of Aladdin's flying carpet are set to be disappointed. A Met Office spokesman reassured residents that the cloud just an oddly-shaped contrail - the man-made clouds formed by the water vapour blasted from a plane's jet engine as it moves through the air. But while contrails normally appear as two thin stripes tracing a plane's progress through the sky - a mixture of atmospheric conditions transformed this example into a floating rectangle.

The Met Office spokesman said: "In this case an aircraft has moved through a pocket of air with the right conditions for the contrail to form, meaning there is just a short section. The wind is blowing at right angles to the contrail, and due to the right atmospheric conditions this is causing the ice crystals in that trail to spread outwards - creating this rectangular shaped cloud. It's unusual to see the cloud edges quite so well-defined as in this example but the processes involved are very common" http://www.sott.net/article/283035-Bizarre-square-cloud-photographed-over-Exeter-UK

"Attitude is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what people do or say. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. The remarkable thing is, we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude."

As stormy skies cleared over Florida earlier this week, Joe Zuniga experienced an extraordinary moment he described as spiritual, and unforgettable. The parting of the storm.

As Zuniga drove along Interstate 75, the clouds suddenly shifted in a peculiar way, creating an large square-shaped sunny patch through which motorists passed. It was as if rain clouds had parted over the motorists for a reason. "They looked almost like something spiritual coming through the storm, and the Lord has got your back," Zuniga told the Weather Channel. Zuniga pulled over immediately, and captured the image atop this post.

"I was actually on the phone with my sister. It was her birthday." Zuniga told Fox 13. "I told her I had to call back. I had to take a picture."

Zuniga, a recording artist, had been driving east of Tampa on I-75. He posted the image on his Facebook page Tuesday and, understandably, it was widely shared. "It's an awesome and humbling feeling knowing that my photo has touched so many people!" Zuniga stated.

While it might have been, for the musician, a spiritual experience, meteorologists are familiar with the phenomenon. The Weather Channel reports that it was simply the result of two rain curtains that "just happened to have their edges lined up with the shoulders of I-75, and Zuniga was in the right place at the right time to capture it." http://www.sott.net/article/282318-Florida-motorist-captures-parting-of-the-storm